%0 Journal Article
%T Early intervention for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and quality of life in mortuary affairs soldiers postdeployment
%J Military medicine
%D 2016
%A Biggs, Quinn M.
%A Fullerton, Carol S.
%A McCarroll, James E.
%A Liu, Xian
%A Wang, Leming
%A Dacuyan, Nicole M.
%A Zatzick, Douglas F.
%A Ursano, Robert J.
%V 181
%N 11
%P e1553-e1560
%X U.S. Army mortuary affairs (MA) soldiers experience stressors of deployment and exposure to the dead, increasing risk for post-traumatic stress and depression. This study examines Troop Education for Army Morale, a postdeployment early intervention based on Psychological First Aid. MA soldiers (N = 126) were randomized to intervention or comparison groups 1-month postdeployment. Intervention sessions were held at 2, 3, 4, and 7 months. Assessments of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and quality of life (QOL) were conducted at 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 months for both groups. At baseline, 25.0% of the total sample had probable PTSD (17-item PTSD Checklist M = 35.4, SD = 16.9) and 23.6% had probable depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale M = 7.8, SD = 6.9). Over 10 months, PTSD and depression symptoms decreased and QOL improved for the total sample. At study conclusion, intervention and comparison groups were not different. Intervention group males showed a transient symptom increase at 2 to 3 months. Males attended fewer intervention sessions than females. Lower attendance was associated with more symptoms and lower QOL. Higher attendance was associated with greater intervention benefits. <br><br>FINDINGS highlight the need for better understanding postdeployment interventions and facilitating attendance. Further intervention for MA soldiers is indicated.<br><br>Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
%@ 0026-4075
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-15-00579